Renovations.

So.  There's this group of old men who sit at the bottom of our apartment bloc stairwell playing backgammon... all day, every day.  They gather at this tiny little kiosk called Te Quiero which sells all sorts of gross processed, packaged snacks, and they watch each other play endless rounds as they sip beers, shirts unbuttoned to let their bellies catch some summer sun.  They're all retired but one (he still works in the mine; I can tell by the ring of coal dust around his eyes, like a thick dark eyeliner).  And they apparently have time to spare.  Lots of it.

They're quite cordial, and I'm somewhat fond of them, really.  Jack and I occasionally stop there to buy mineral water, and they always nod to us and say hello as we head to work in the morning and come home in the evening.  Sometimes their wives sit on the front bench, basking in the sun and nodding regally as we pass by with our "buna dimineata" on the way to work.  I am never sure what they're talking about or if they're really happy or what... but this little graffiti-covered kiosk seems like their center of gravity.  Or something.

So today it really made me laugh to see that they've decided to renovate the kiosk.  I'm not sure what they're doing, but it's adorable to me -- they brought in a little cement mixer, and they're all standing around watching and helping and taking turns smoothing the pavement, widening their little backgammon area or something. 

(Yes, I took a picture from the balcony.)

Anyway, it's cute.  And it made me smile to see renovations, to see people investing in and caring  about something as small and simple as their backgammon space.

So go, old guys, go.  Maybe we'll buy another mineral water soon to help support the project.